All That Glitters Tonight Is Gold

The Ann Arbor fashion and retail community is thriving. Although most students don’t make it past State Street, let alone Main Street for their shopping needs, Ann Arbor is host to a number of locally-owned clothing boutiques that are definitely worth a visit. On Friday March 20, the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti (A2Y) Regional Chamber and the Young Professionals of the A2Y Chamber hosted “Fashion Forward,” a runway show featuring spring apparel from several retail boutiques in the area. The event took place at the Ann Arbor City Club, which was originally known as the Ann Arbor Women’s City Club when it was founded in 1951.

The event was brimming with local elite; business owners, executives and CEOs all crowded the reception area. Mingling between jewelry vendors Karen Egren & Silpada was Today Clothing owner Kevin Pearson, along with several models who have participated in past SHEI events. Photographers snapped pictures of special guest KT Maviglia, better known as Miss Michigan 2014, before settling in for the start of the show.

Goodie bags lined the two front rows for the VIP guests. As guests waited in anticipation, many felt as though they were a part of Ann Arbor’s very own Fashion Week. Many of the city's favorite local shops, some of which have partnered with SHEI Magazine, such as Renaissance, Today Clothing, V2V, Perpetua, Bivouac, and Legion, were all represented throughout the event.

Halfway through the show, a short intermission allowed guests to indulge in the dessert bar and grab another drink from the reception area before returning to their seats. During the intermission, guests who were curious about the contents of their goodie bags would proceed to find make-up and hair care samples, coupons and discount cards, and even a pair of socks, all from Maggie’s Organics.

The second half of the show ended with a bang. As the models took their final walk down the runway, the audience caught one last glimpse of the models' stunning hair and makeup, courtesy of Sola Salon Studios. With the gorgeous new fashions featured in a perfect atmosphere, no other shows could have topped this event. “Fashion Forward” united Ann Arbor’s retail and fashion community for what was truly a five-star show.